VOCABULARY Shadow: A shadow is an area of darkness that is created when something blocks the light. The blocked light may be from the sun, a flashlight, or a lamp inside.
Expressive:Something that shows how you are feeling or tells a story about your life.
THINK and DO Activity: Think about some of your favorite things. What makes them special to you? Do they tell us something about what you like to do?
Activity: Walk around inside and outside and look for some shadows. Where is the light coming from? What objects are blocking the light? Where are the shadows landing?
Activity: Think about how you are feeling today. What words would you use to describe your mood? How might you use colors to express that mood or feeling?
Make Art: Step #1: Gather up a few of your favorite things. Look for things that stand up tall and that have interesting shapes.
Step #2: Gather up your favorite things along with paper and a marker and take them outside when the sun is out. You might want to bring a large book or magazine to put your paper on while you draw. AND
Step #3: Position one item at a time so its shadow lands on the paper. Then, trace the shape of the shadow with your marker.
Step #4: Repeat step #3. Position one object at a time. Trace its shadow.
Step #5: Continue positioning objects and tracing shapes and shadows until you have shape drawing you are ready to color.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU CREATE:
Are you going to trace an object more than once? Do you want the shapes and shadows to overlap? What kind of new shapes do you get when you overlap shapes and shadows?
Step #6: We have chosen objects that express something about who we are or what is meaningful to us. Now it is time to continue to express ourselves using color. Read below and then choose the colors you will use!
Warm Colors: Warm colors often remind us warm things in nature like the sun or fire. Warm colors are red, orange, yellow, and pink.
Cool Colors: Cool colors are the opposite of the warm colors. Cool colors are green, blue and purple.
CHOOSING COLORS:
How do you feel today? What colors do you want to use to express yourself? Will you use warm colors? Cool colors? Warm and cool colors?
Step #7: Can you guess which group of colors the artist chose?
That's right - they chose the warm colors! All that time in the warm sun outside tracing shadows inspired her choice!
Step #8: Continue coloring until you feel you have expressed yourself!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU COLOR:
You might decide to leave white spaces.
You might press gently with your pencils or crayons to create a very light color.
You may press more firmly to create a rich, darker color.
You might add a new color as you are working!
It's up to you - express yourself!
Follow-up Questions:
Look at your Expressive Shadow Drawing.
Can you tell which of your favorite things created which shadows and shapes?
Your work is about who you are and how you are feeling. Is there a title or a name you might give your drawing? What would it be?
Rubric: You may access the Lesson #1 - Expressive Shadow Drawings Rubric by clicking on the file below.